Spare propeller holder



J. KLINEv Oct. 17, 1967 SPARE PROPELLER HOLDER Filed. June 25, 1965 INVENTOR Jo/m Kline,

United States Patent 3,347,353 SPARE PROPELLER HOLDER John Kline, 359 Wentworth Ave., Battle Creek, Mich. 49015 Filed June 25, 1965, Ser. No. 467,062 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is a holder for a spare propeller useable in a propeller operated boat with means for anchoring. the holder in place. The holder has a top and a U-shaped bottom, with means for removably fastening the outer ends of the top to the ends of the U-shaped bottom. Mounted on the bottom inside of this holder, which is substantially rectangular, is at least one propeller mounting structure, and mounted on the underside of the top in alinement with each propeller mounting structure is means forholding the propeller or propellers in place during storage in said housing.

This invention relates to small boats, and more particularly, to a spare propeller holder which may be carried in small boats, as will hereinafter be described.

Most owners or users of small boats, powered with either an inboard or outboard motor, have at one time or other had the problem of how and where to place and store in a boat a spare propeller for emergency use. Unless the propeller is carefully stored away or placed in an especially designed holder, it will, more often than not, be damaged by having the edges of its blades nicked or bent when it contacts another hard object. Seldom is this damage noticed until one has to use the spare propeller. This is generally in an emergency and at a time when one cannot have the propeller repaired.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a spare propeller holder in which a spare propeller can be kept until ready for use; and more particularly a holder which is especially adapted for placement under a seat in a small boat.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spare propeller holder which is adapted to hold any size propeller for either an inboard or for an outboard motor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spare propeller holder which can be locked to prevent theft of the propeller.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spare propeller holder having a minimum number of simply designed parts, thereby keeping the manufacturing cost of this invention to a minimum.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spare propeller holder which can be adapted to hold two spare propellers at the same time.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon the reading of the detailed description of this invention when read along with an examination of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of this invention.

FIGURE'Z is a side view of this invention holding a spare propeller, which is shown partly in cross-section, as is part of the invention itself.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of an optional form of this invention, into which two propellers can be placed at the same time.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of this invention into which a spare propeller has been placed.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a typical small boat, which is shown in phantom lines, with this invention having a spare propeller therein located under the back seat of the boat. The invention and its propeller are both shown in solid lines.

3,347,353: Patented Oct. 17, 1967 Referring to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that this invention embodies a hollow rectangular propeller holder 10, U-shaped when viewed from the front or back. In the bottom 11, there are two spaced openings 12 for the securement of this invention to the bottom of a boat by means of bolts or the like. Each end 13 of the aforesaid bottom 11 is turned vertically upward in order to provide a seat for the removable top 14, which is provided with a downwardly turned end member 15 at each end thereof. This member 14 with its downwardly turned ends 15 overlaps the ends 13 of this invention. One of the downwardly turned ends 15 is provided with a horizontally disposed pin 16 which is slipped through an opening, as illustrated, in one of the already mentioned end members 13, while the other end of top 14 is provided with a keyed lock 25 whch, as illustrated, has a releasable latch means engaging a suitable opening in the adjacent end 13, in order to prevent the theft of a spare propeller when the latter is slipped over the top of and down the vertically disposed hollow sleeve 17. The vertically disposed hollow sleeve 17 in turn is slipped over the top of and telescopically fits the steel member 18 which has its lower end provided with internal threads in which is screwed the cap screw 19 the shank of which passes upward through the aforesaid bottom 11 as well as through the rectangular plate 20 and the rubber pad 21.

A semi-spherically shaped member 22, which is preferably in the form of a hemisphere as illustrated, is provided with a centrally located vertically disposed opening through which projects the spring-loaded hold-down pin 23 which passes downward through the aforesaid top plate 14. The aforesaid semi-spherically shaped member 22 seats in the upper end of the aforesaid hollow sleeve 17 which is held by member 18 which, in turn, is provided with a centrally located and horizontally disposed divider 24 which gives this sleeve 17 and member 18 a space for the placement of extra shear pins, cotter keys, and the like. These are used in securement of a propeller on the propeller shaft of a boat 27, FIGURE 5.

It will be noted that the propeller illustrated in FIG- URES 2, 4, and 5 of the drawing is indicated by the capital letter P. Also, that the aforesaid keyed lock 25, shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 3 is not characterized by any detail reference numbers. The reason for this is that the lock 25, which is diagrammatically shown, can be of any desired make and type and the specific details of same are not a limitation of this invention which can have its holder made of any desired material, and can hold any size of propeller or propellers, if more than one is to be carried in this device.

It is obvious from looking at FIGURE 2 of the drawing that all one has to do to place a spare propeller P in this just described holder is to remove the top 14 and then place the propeller down over the aforesaid sleeve 17. The top 14 is then replaced and fastened as shown. The top 14 has the semi-spherically shaped member 22 secured to its underside in a way such that the member 22 will correctly seat itself in the upper and open end of the hub of the propeller P or sleeve 17, if it is longer as shown, and thus firmly hold the propeller in the holder until it is necessary to place it on the propeller shaft of the boat motor 26, FIGURE 5.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and as many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention within the scope of the claims could be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A spare propeller holder of the character described, comprising a hollow rectangular U-shaped holder adapted to be bolted in a boat; a removable cover locked on said holder; a vertically disposed sleeve secured to a plate and to the bottom of the said holder, the spare propeller being placed over the said sleeve; and means for holding the said propeller in place after the removable top of the said holder has been placed on the said holder and locked in place.

2. A spare propeller holder of the character described, comprising a hollow rectangular U-shaped holder adapted to be bolted in a boat; a removable cover locked on said holder; a vertically disposed sleeve secured to a plate and to the bottom of the said holder, the spare propeller being placed over the said sleeve; and a spring-loaded semispherical member extending inward from said cover for holding the said propeller in place after the removable top of the said holder has been placed on the said holder and locked in place.

3. A spare propeller holder of the character described comprising a hollow rectangular holder having a bottom adapted to be bolted to a boat; a removable top for said holder; means for fastening said removable top on said holder; said fastening means consisting of a hooking means and a locking means at opposite ends of said top, the ends of said holder having means cooperating with said hooking and locking means of said top; an upwardly extending structure located on said bottom and fastened to same Within the said holder and on which a propeller may be placed; means for fastening said removable top on said holder; and means for holding the said propeller in place on said upwardly extending structure after the removable top of the said holder has been placed on the said holder 4t and fastened in place, said last named means being a spring-loaded member extending from the inner side of said cover and directly over said propeller holding upwardly extending structure.

4. A spare propeller holder of the character described, comprising a hollow rectangular U-shaped holder having a bottom, and ends, said U-shaped holder being adapted to be bolted to a boat; a removable top for said holder; an upwardly extending structure located on said bottom and fastened to same Within the said holder and on which a propeller may be placed; means for fastening said removable top on said holder; said fastening means consisting of a hooking means and a locking means at opposite ends of said top, the ends of said U-shaped holder having means cooperating with said hooking and locking means of said top; and means of holding the said propeller in place after the removable top of the said holder has been placed on the said holder and locked in place, said last named means being a spring-loaded semi-spherical member extending from the inner side of said cover and directly over said propeller holding upwardly extending structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 426,811 4/1890 Henkel 217-19 2,762,502 9/1956 Lehman 20646 2,795,325 6/1957 Smith 20646 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner. 

3. A SPARE PROPELLER HOLDER OF THE CHARACTER DISCRIBED COMPRISING A HOLLOW RECTANGULAR HOLDER HAVING A BOTTOM ADAPTED TO BE BOTTLED TO A BOAT; A REMOVABLE TOP FOR SAID HOLDER; MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID REMOVABLE TOP ON SAID HOLDER; SAID FASTENING MEANS CONSISTING OF A HOOKING MEANS AND A LOCKING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID TOP, THE ENDS OF SAID HOLDER HAVING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID HOOKING AND LOCKING MEANS OF SAID TOP; AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING STRUCTURE LOCATED ON SAID BOTTOM AND FASTENED TO SAME WITHIN THE SAID HOLDER AND ON WHICH A PROPELLER MAY BE PLACED; MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID REMOVABLE TOP ON SAID HOLDER; AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE SAID PROPELLER IN PLACE ON SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING STRUCTURE AFTER THE REMOVABLE TOP OF THE SAID HOLDER HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE SAID HOLDER AND FASTENED IN PLACE, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS BEING A SPRING-LOADED MEMBER EXTENDING FROM THE INNER SIDE OF SAID COVER AND DIRECTLY OVER SAID PROPELLER HOLDING UPWARDLY EXTENDING STRUCTURE. 